When Michael Ferns was racing toward the end zone, the Clairsville (Ohio) St. Clairsville High star had nothing in front of him but green grass and glory. He was seemingly seconds away from scoring his 12th touchdown of the season and wrapping up a victory for St. Clairsville against area rival Richmond (Ohio) Edison High. Then, just feet short of the goal line, Ferns slowed and walked out of bounds at the 1-yard line.

‘A fitting touchdown’

Everyone in the stadium was stunned, except for Ferns’ teammates, who instantly knew what he was doing: He was setting up a teammate to score a fitting touchdown in memory of his late father, who had died just two days earlier from a catastrophic stroke.

The player in question was Logan Thompson, a devoted freshman varsity football player who had never registered a single carry before in his career. Still reeling from his father’s death, Thompson suited up for St. Clairsville nonetheless, providing security for the team’s upperclassmen. During the team’s victory against Edison, St. Clairsville coach Brett McLean had secretly encouraged his skill players to pull up short of the end zone if given the chance, setting the stage for Thompson to have a memorable first carry right into the end zone.

‘The old man was watching’

Still, the plan was almost sabotaged by the referees, who were completely stunned by the fact that Ferns hadn’t actually scored. Eventually, McLean’s plan worked to perfection when Ferns found himself on a breakaway, then switched rolls to move from running back to bruising fullback for Thompson’s cameo, helping clear a massive hole in the Edison line through which Thomson rolled into the end zone.

“Looking straight up into the sky after scoring my first varsity touchdown…i know the old man was watching! love and miss you so much daddy,” Thompson tweeted after the victory.

Were you touched by Michael Ferns’ TD tribute for Logan Thompson’s late dad? Let your thoughts be known through the comment box below!

The bloom is off the rose for Bret Michaels and girlfriend Kristi Gibson. The “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” singer and his longtime ladylove have called off their engagement, his rep tells PEOPLE.

“Although the couple have separated they remain great friends and are committed to jointly raising their two daughters,” says the rep.

Michaels, 49, and Gibson, 41, are parents to Raine Elizabeth, 12, and Jorja Bleu, 7. After 16-plus years together Michaels finally proposed to Gibson on Dec. 2, 2010, with the cameras rolling; the big moment aired on the finale of his VH1 show Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It.

Gibson stood by Michaels through a variety of ailments over the years, including an emergency appendectomy, a near-fatal brain hemorrhage and a stroke.

After all the roller coaster happenings between them, do you think that Bret Michaels and Kristi Gibson were never meant to be? In your opinion, are they better off not together? What could be the biggest reason for their break up? (CUE: roll eyes upward as if it’s not THAT obvious!). You are most welcome to share your thoughts and opinions with us through the comment box below!

Dick Clark, the producer and television personality known as “America’s Oldest Teenager” for his perennially youthful looks and enthusiasm, has died at age 82.

Clark suffered a “massive heart attack” on Wednesday morning, his rep says in a statement, after he entered St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., for an outpatient procedure on Tuesday night. ”Attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful. He is survived by his wife Kari and his three children, RAC, Duane and Cindy,” the statement continues. Clark, a diabetic, had suffered a stroke in 2004 but continued in recent years to appear on his New Year’s Eve special from Times Square with Ryan Seacrest hosting.

The Mount Vernon, N.Y.-born Clark got his start in the mailroom of his father’s radio station in upstate New York before working as a disc jockey at his college station and then in Philadelphia in the early 1950s. When ABC picked up his dance show Bandstand, renaming it American Bandstand, the program became a sensation and featured the biggest names in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll – everyone from Little Richard to Chuck Berry.

Clark went on to produce and to host the $10,000 Pyramid and other game shows, as well as the American Music Awards, the Golden Globes and, starting in 1972, the New Year’s countdown show Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve

In December 2004, Clark suffered a major stroke that left him partially paralyzed with his speech impaired. After Regis Philbin filled in for him, Clark returned a year later for an emotional appearance on the show, addressing the audience in slurred speech. He continued to appear on the show but later handed over hosting duties to Seacrest.

Will Dick Clark be missed in the showbiz industry? Tell us what you liked about him!